Ken Carpenter

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"One Man's Family," the rich introductory voice said, "is dedicated to the mothers and fathers of the younger generation and their bewildering offspring."

That rich voice belonged to Ken Carpenter, one of the premier announcers of what has come to be known as the Golden Age of Radio. He made that introduction hundreds of times.

Mellow and easygoing in voice and manner, Carpenter was the announcer on many of the top radio and television shows from the 1930s through the '60s, including "The Kradt Music Hall," the "Edgar Bergen Show With Charlie McCarthy," the "Lux Radio Theater" and the long-running "One Man's Family."

Carpenter was a native of Avon, Ill. In 1928, while listening to Graham McNamee, then the top radio personality of his time, describing the Rose Bowl game, Carpenter decided that he was destined for California — and by the next year he had moved to Los Angeles. Six years later, he was announcing the Rose Bowl game. He paid his dues — once leaving a game with cleat marks on his face — before achieving national celebrity status. Even in the big time, he had to do chores that others might have considered demeaning. Among other things, he rang the chimes for Bing Crosby on many of his radio shows.

Carpenter died at age 84 on Oct. 16, 1984, at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica.

— Los Angeles Times Oct. 18, 1984

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One thought about Ken Carpenter

“

Ken Carpenter was, for those of us who remember America before everyone had a little b/w TV set, one of THE voices we grew up with, a voice we knew. He was also frequently heard on commercials on various local and network radio programs, telling us why we should buy this detergent or that box of cereal.

Carpenter was so typical of the era with his voice. He actually "announced" every word and sentence so that you could clearly understand his mid American accent. You never heard Carpenter say "he was like (fill in the blank)" to describe a situation. This man actually went to school, and there, got a proper education from George Washington to Dwight Eisenhower, unlike our failing government schools of today.

”— andy grovo, December 4, 2011 at 2:52 a.m.

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